*(Please continue to check the Social Justice Actions which are updated every Friday). Our petition corner is now located http://www.wheatonfranciscan-jpic.org/currentactionalerts.html

JPIC Office Blog

August 4, 2009

Dear Friends,

Peace and all Good!

Thanks for all that you are doing to make this world a better place. Our Franciscan Gospel perspective continually calls us our attention to concerns in the areas of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation. This month's blog invites you to prayerfully consider your actions in any of these areas.

 

Stories in the August 2009 JPIC Blog:

Healthcare
Economy, Poverty & Hunger
Environment
Debt Cancellation
War and Conflicts
Immigration and Human Trafficking

Healthcare

Insurance companies have the power to decide who gets coverage, choose what medical treatment they'll pay for and set the prices for coverage.

Congress has an opportunity to enact real healthcare reform that will put families back in control of their children's health care and guarantee every child access to all medically necessary services to maximize child health and development!
Urge your Congressmembers to take action. Sign the petition letter today >>

The debate on healthcare reform is very complex. Should there be national healthcare system with a single national provider? Independent insurance companies adding currently unsured or underinsured people? Provide for uninsured children only? Leave the current system with its free enterprise components intact? Some of the above? All of the above? The debate is real and not simple to arrive at a solution that satisfies all. When it comes to health care reform, the consequences of inaction are almost unimaginable. 

In a televised press conference, when asked why he felt it necessary to rush and to impose a deadline for health care reform, President Obama replied, "I am rushed because I get letters every day from families who are being clobbered by health care costs. In a country like ours, that’s not right. To view the president speaking about some of those letters and more visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/Inside-the-White-House-Letters-to-the-President/, If you don’t set deadlines in this town, nothing gets done." So, what to do? What do you want?

Congress has much work to do. Although it will not get done by the August recess as originally planned, but the President is still looking toward passage of a meaningful health care reform bill this year. The American people do need relief. Despite the bad economy, the cost of doing nothing will be greater in the long run. We’ve already put this off for far too long. Maybe this will be the year that we begin to heal.

Catholic Charities in Partnership with Catholic Health Association: CC USA, CHA and Fran Action Network call for health reform that is: accessible to everyone, with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Healthcare that is prevention oriented, promoting healthy communities; sufficiently and fairly financed; transparent and consensus-driven; patient centered and designed to protect health needs of all stages of life. Care that is safe and effective. To send an electronic message go to http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1782

Economy, Poverty & Hunger

In today's troubled economic climate, more than 36 million Americans are struggling with hunger each day. 40 percent of those seeking food assistance are employed. Forty-one percent of households served by food banks last year reported having to choose between buying food and paying for utilities or heat. More than one-third reported having to choose between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage. New policies from our legislators are necessary to ensure that America's working poor don't have to face the impossible decision of choosing between electricity, rent and food. New policies to help America's working poor must increase food stamp benefits and support for food bank.
Let your representative know that you want a comprehensive strategy to fight hunger

Urge your representative to support full funding of the FY 2010 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (H.R. 3081) and oppose any amendments that would cut funding for programs that reduce poverty.

a. WHY IS THIS APPROPRIATIONS BILL IMPORTANT NOW? Recently, the House of Representatives voted on legislation that provided funding for poverty-focused international assistance programs that confront poverty and save lives. The $48.8 billion FY 2010 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill is already $1.2 billion below last year's level and $3.2 billion below the President's request. Any more cuts to this budget could affect efforts to help people living in poverty worldwide. We need to ensure Congress knows how important these programs are to poor and vulnerable people around the world and that they are supported by American Catholics.

b. WHAT DOES THIS APPROPRIATIONS BILL HAVE TO DO WITH MY FAITH? Our Catholic faith requires that we uphold the life and dignity of the human person by alleviating human suffering and promoting justice and solidarity worldwide. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, speaks of this in his new encyclical letter, Charity in Truth:
“In the search for solutions to the current economic crisis, development aid for poor countries must be considered a valid means of creating wealth for all. What aid programme is there that can hold out such significant growth prospects — even from the point of view of the world economy — as the support of populations that are still in the initial or early phases of economic development? From this perspective, more economically developed nations should do all they can to allocate larger portions of their gross domestic product to development aid, thus respecting the obligations that the international community has undertaken in this regard.” For more information contact: Stephen Hilbert, Policy Advisor, USCCB Office of International Justice and Peace, shilbert@usccb.org; (202) 541-3149 Tina Rodousakis, Manager, Grassroots Advocacy, CRS, trodousa@crs.org; (410) 951-7462 (Source: Catholic Relief Services)

 

Summary of CSR Advocacy Items:



Environment

H.R. 145: Congress has taken the first step toward unleashing a true clean energy revolution with June 26’s historic passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act. While imperfect, this legislation sets forth a set of goals America must achieve -- and exceed. Most importantly, it puts the United States on a path to reduce carbon emissions some 80 percent by 2050. An unprecedented coalition of environmental, faith, community, labor, veterans, business, and other groups mounted one of the most vigorous grassroots campaigns in decades to move this critical legislation through the House. The vote for the American Clean Energy Security Act on the House floor came to an ultimate margin of a mere seven votes, 219-212.

We have to push even harder to improve the bill as it goes on to the Senate and then comes back to the House for reconciliation.  Before the President signs this bill into law, it must include a mechanism for cleaning up the oldest and dirtiest coal plants. We also need to boost the bill's investments in energy efficiency, hasten our transition toward clean energy sources like wind and solar, and steer more of the bill's investments toward the public benefit—not polluters.

Click here to find out how your Representative voted and write a letter thanking them if they voted in favor or expressing your disappointment if they voted against the bill.

Coal Ash Pollution Standards: The tragic Tennessee coal disaster that flooded hundreds of acres with toxic coal ash containing lead, mercury and other hazardous wastes late last year brought the need for enforceable regulation to television screens in living rooms across America. As efforts to truly safeguard our communities from toxic coal pollution get underway, Senators Brownback and Conrad, at the coal industry's bidding, are already trying to prevent progress by putting pressure on the EPA to relax standards to protect communities from this toxic waste. Coal industry lobbyists would treat coal ash like household trash, rather than the hazardous pollution it is. The existing patchwork of state regulations does little to safeguard communities, the environment and our water sources from the hazards posed by arsenic, mercury, selenium, and other coal ash toxins. According to the EPA, communities close to these coal ash sites face a very high, 1 in 50 risk of cancer - we can't let King Coal continue with business as usual.

Send a message to your Senators asking them to reject Senators Brownback and Conrad's sign on letter that seeks to preserve the dangerous status quo of relaxed coal ash pollution standards. (Source: Sierra Club)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is drafting a renewable fuel standard that will ramp up the use of biofuels 400% by 2022.  Increasing our use of renewable fuels means growing more crops for fuel.  It is essential that we address the full environmental and social implications of this change, not just the emissions that come from vehicle tailpipes.

Tell the EPA to take a Big Picture approach to renewable fuels and calculate their full impact, including production, refinement, and burning.

Tell the EPA to establish a strong, science-based renewable fuel standard that fully accounts for all contributions to global warming. (Source: Sierra Club)

The Fight For a Clean Energy Economy and To End Our Reliance on Coal Heats Up: Coal accounts for over 30% of our global warming pollution.  We need to take on the coal industry and the millions of dollars they spend lobbying Washington to build a clean energy economy that will create jobs and fight global warming. 

That's why we're asking you to join us this summer as we fight back through messages and phone calls to decision makers, rallies, hearings, town halls, and district meetings.

We need to keep the momentum going this summer - pledge to help protect communities from dangerous coal ash sites, clean up dirty coal plants, and end mountain top removal mining

In Reversal, the EPA Releases List of 44 "High Hazard" Coal Ash Sites; Recently we learned that the Department of Homeland Security designated 44 massive coal ash ponds as 'high hazard,' meaning they present a clear and present danger to existing communities, but they refused to disclose their locations to nearby residents.  Thanks to pressure from activists like you, the EPA released the locations Monday. Now communities can take measures to protect themselves and we can pressure the industry to clean up these sites. Do you live near a 'high hazard' site? Check out our map to find out.
(learn more)

The National Campaign to End Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining Kicks Off; 14 people were arrested in Coal River, WV for protesting mountain top removal coal mining at an elementary school only a few hundred yards from a recently erected toxic coal sludge impoundment.  The arrested include retired coal miner and former Congressman Ken Hechler, NASA climate scientist James Hansen, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner Judy Bonds, and actress Daryl Hannah.  Bonds was actually assaulted by a Massey Coal employee, who was in turn arrested for battery.
(learn more)

We have an opportunity now to make a clean energy future a reality; we cannot afford to let the coal industry hold us back by blocking cleanup efforts and the transition to renewable energy. The Wheaton Franciscan have joined the Joliet Diocese for years in this advocacy effort against mountain top removal.

The next step is fighting back against King Coal this summer.  Sign the pledge and spread the word!  (Source: Sierra Club)

Developing nations refused to agree to a global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of 50 percent by 2050. The G5 (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa) and Egypt met with G8 countries during the summit in L’Aquila, Italy. G8 nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) all agreed to an 80 percent reduction by 2050, but did not have specific plans for reducing GHG emissions. 

“This is a huge missed opportunity. With new leadership in the U.S. there was great optimism. It could have been a dramatic turning point,” said Anantha Guruswarmy of Greenpeace.

UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon criticized the GE leaders. “The policies that they have stated so far are not enough, not sufficient enough… The G8 missed a unique opportunity on climate change,” Ki-moon said.


Debt Cancellation

Developing Countries Need Aid; Tearfund, a Christian aid agency, called for all developed countries to provide at least $150 billion a year to developing countries with “no strings attached” to help them cope with climate change.

“Anything less will severely weaken relations between rich and poor nations and trigger a breakdown in trust that will block progress towards a strong and fair climate deal,” Tearfund said.

Paul Cook, Tearfund Advocacy Director said, “What part of the word urgency do G8 leaders not understand? Adequate finance is the sticking point currently deadlocking negotiations and so far the group has failed to put their money where their mouths are.

” Last February The Guardian reported that developing countries received less than 10 percent of the aid promised to them by developed countries to help them adapt to climate change. The richest countries in the world pledged almost $18 billion in aid in the last seven years, but less than $0.9 billion was disbursed to developing countries.

The UN has called for $50 to $70 billion a year in aid for developing countries. Yvo de Boer, head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) said, “Contributions to funds have been disappointingly low and the least developed countries have received very little. Without significant finance you will not get developing country engagement [in negotiations]. Funding is key to unlocking an outcome for the talks.”

Stop Vulture Fund Act!: For further information about vulture funds and the legislation introduced to stop this heinous practice see http://www.jubileeusa.org/get-active/take-action.html, see stop Vultures Fund and click on image. Cosponsors in the House are needed. This action is an implementation of the 2007 Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) Assembly Resolution calling for support of the Jubilee Act to cancel debts of improvised countries.


War and Conflicts

Individuals invited to sign ETAN letter opposing training of Kpoassus: LCWR is one of 50 national organizations who signed a letter from East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) calling on the US government to oppose restarting training of KOPASSUS, Indonesia's Special forces which has a history of human rights abuses. Now individuals are invited to sign on the same letter. To sign go to http://www.gopetition.com/online/29600.html.

The LRA/Northern Uganda: Over the past two months a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives has united in support of a recently introduced legislation focusing on the LRA/Northern Uganda. The LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067/H.R. 2478) is aimed at permanently putting a stop to the LRA and contributing to sustainable peace in central Africa by increasing US diplomatic engagement of the crisis and assisting communities affected by the violence. Sr. Sheila had visited the area twice in the last few years and was appalled at the living conditions. This is one of the most violent and longest running conflicts in Africa.You can read more about action regarding this legislation by go to www.resolveuganda.org/legislation.

Urge your member of Congress to support H. Res. 278, Resolution reduces the number of nuclear weapons and directs savings to address global hunger.

Urge Congress to Support White House Middle East Peace Efforts, H. Res 130 - This resolution concerns the troubling conditions prevailing in Kenya in the run-up to its next general elections. Violence in July surrounding pro-democracy demonstrations claimed lives, as has recent ethnic violence. This subcommittee held a hearing on Kenya in July in the aftermath of the initial bloodshed. While the situation has calmed somewhat, there is fear that as the time nears for upcoming elections, there will be another outbreak of violence.

The Mathew Shepard Act, is a proposed bill in the United States Congress that would expand the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Support the Matthew Shepard Act! Thinking of supporting or learning more about the Matthew Shepard Act? Visit http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Erase_Hate_Crimes_Legislation

But there is more that you can do!

You can call the Senate Switchboard on 202-224-3121 (before 5 p.m. E.T.) and ask the operator to speak to the Senator from your state. You can check who your Senators are by using this link http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm. Just select your state and the website will do the rest.

It's probable that you'll get to speak to one of the Senator's interns, and they will ask you where you are calling from and why. What should you say? Well, you can simply state that you are urging the Senator in question to vote for the Matthew Shepard Act (S. 909). This is all you need to say and it is most likely that the call will end right there, unless, that is, you would care to elaborate as to your reasons why you believe the Matthew Shepard Act is important.

But wait, don't forget to make the call to your second Senator and repeat the process. It takes about 90 seconds, that's all, and your actions will let the Senate know just how important the Matthew Shepard Act really is for a fair and equal society.


Immigration & Human Trafficking

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reported that more than 500 U.S. military service members took the Oath of Allegiance to become U.S. citizens this passed July 4th.  Meanwhile, the administration of Barack Obama is taking action to increase policing of employers who hire illegal workers.  The administration reported that its investigations recently targeted more than 600 businesses.  In fact, the New York Times reported that 650 businesses were notified on just one day of pending audits, up from 503 audits for the entire last year of the Bush administration. The enhanced enforcement is part of President Obama's policy of emphasizing border enforcement and employer compliance rather than stepping up action against individual illegal immigrant workers.

Urge Congress to Fix our Broken Immigration System, Continuing advocacy to encourage Congress to resolve the immigration issue in a fair and just manner. For more resources on immigration visit http://www.wheatonfranciscan-jpic.org/currentactionalerts_a.html

CRS ALERT – Human Trafficking Continues In Europe; Buying and Selling People - Traffickers see an inexhaustible commodity in other human beings, one that they can exploit over and over again. Trafficking does not just involve women being forced into prostitution. It can also involve children being forced to beg and adults being forced to work long hours under appalling conditions without pay.  In Eastern Europe, CRS works to stop trafficking before it starts. We alert vulnerable groups to the trafficking dangers and provide opportunities for women who have few career options. CRS and our local partners hold sessions at schools to teach students to watch out for suspicious people and job offers. Traffickers sometimes place phony employment ads in newspapers. A CRS program placed warning ads in the same papers traffickers use, and ran public service announcements on radio stations.

CRS deserves our continued support. The Franciscan Federation Action Resolution on Immigration and Creation; networking in mutual love also calls its members to advocate against trafficking.

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Quick Links to Official Government Web sites

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

http://www.senate.gov/

http://www.house.gov/

 

Thanks for whatever you are able to do to promote justice, peace and care for creation.

Sr. Sheila Kinsey, OSF
JPIC Office Leader
Wheaton Franciscans

 

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